Fastening device for bags and pouches



(No Mdel.)

- J. PICKINGER.

PASIBNING DEVICE FOR BAGS AND POUGHES. No. 308,350.

Patented Nov. 25.- 1884.

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Unrrno TATES new JACOB FIOKINGER, OF KINGSVILLE, OHIO.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR BAGS AND POUCHES.

IPECIEICATIOIQ' forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,350, dated November 25, 1884-.

Application filed September 20, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB FIOKINGER, of Kingsville, in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fastening Devices for Locking Mail-Bags and other Pouches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

My invention relates to devices for locking mail-bags and similar pouches; and it consists of a series of T-headed buttons or studs adapted to pass through elongated apertures in the two thicknesses of thebag or pouch and to look the same by turning the head after it has been led through said apertures into a position transverse thereto, each stud being made to project from a plate which is pivoted to turn upon a pin projecting in line with the stem of the stud or button on the opposite side of the stud-plate, the first plate being thus pivoted to a face-plate adapted to be secured to the outer face of the bag at one edge thereof, and the second stud-plate to a plate hinged to the free end of the face-plate, the third being hinged to the free end of the second, and so on, to form, in connection with each other, a flexible strap whose sections are hinged together to bend and fold in the direction of its length, and are pivoted together between the hinged joints to turn and fold in a direction transverse to its length, each'section in turning being made to turn the T.-headed button secured thereto, so as to cause it thereby either to engage or to be freed from the apertures in the pouch with which the button is brought into register.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the outer side of the outer open end of a mail-pouch with the covering-flap opened up, showing the heads of the fastening-buttons in position to lock the mouth of the pouch; Fig. 2, an elevation of the opposite or inner side ofthe outer open end of the pouch, illustrating the hinged metallic locking-strap in position to lock and secure the mouth of the pouch. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the strap loosened and swung out from the pouch. Fig. 4. is a section in line a; m, Fig. 5

bag or pouch; B, the flap riveted in the customary manner to the outer face of the inner side of the open end of the bag to fold over said end and overlap the mouth and the opposite side, A, of the bag, as illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. O O O are metallic re-enforcing plates riveted at equal distances apart on the outer side or face of the outer side, A, of the mouth of the bag, and O O 0 corresponding plates riveted in like manner to the outer side or face of the inner side, A, of the bag. D D are elongated apertures so pierced through the plates 0 O Gand O O and through theintervening thicknesses of leather as that the apertures in each opposite pair of plates shall register with each other when the mouth of the bag is closed. The end plate, 0 however, at the outer edge of the inner side of the bag is not provided with an elongated aperture, but a circular plate, E, Figs. 2 and 3, is pivoted thereto by means of a pivotpin, F, made fast to the plate E, and which turns freely in the plate 0*, being confined by means of an outer shoulder, g, overlapping the inner edge of the pivotal aperture, as shown in Fig.3. The pivot-pin F is extended to constitute the stem of a button having an elongated head, H, whose width and length are slightly less than those of the elongated aperture in the re-enforcing plate 0 on the outer side of the bag adapted to register therewith. The plate E is formed with an arm or extension, E, projecting radially therefrom at a right angle with the length of the head H of the stud or button, said stud or button being secured to the plate to form an integral part thereof. To the outer end of this arm E of the plate 13 an arm, J, from a second circular plate, J, preferably of the same diameter as the plate E, is hinged, so that the two arms may fold over one upon the other, while both are free to turn together as one piece upon the pivot F. (See Fig. 3.) The arms J and E are preferably of equal length, and their united length is so proportioned as that the distance from the center of the plate E to the center of the plate J shall equal the distance from center to center of the apertures in the re-enforcing plates G. A third circular plate,

. K, Fig. 3, having an arm, K, extending radially therefrom, and which is made to correspond in its dimensions to the plate J, is pivoted to the under or inner side of saidplate J by means of a central pivot pin, L, and this pin is extended to project from the plate K to serve as the stem or shank of a stud or button having an elongated head, H, the counterpart in its form and dimensions of the button H, so that it may pass through the apertures O 0 when brought into register therewith, and engage the sameto prevent awithdrawal of the button when turned transversely thereto. Thelength of the button-head H is placed at a right angle to the length of the arm K of the plate K, to which it is secured, and with which it turns. An offset or sh0ulder,m,is interposed between the plate J and its arm J to permit the face of the plate K to be flush with the inner face of said arm J when the plates J and K are superimposed, (see Fig. 3,)so that the inner face of the strap formed by the hinged plates and arms shall be uniform throughout its length. The arm of a third plate, N, is hinged to the end of the arm K, so that the two arms may fold over one upon the other, while both are free to turn upon the common pivot at L, the dis tanee from the center of the plate K to the center of the plate N being equal to the distance from center to center of the apertures Din the re-enforcing plates 0 and 0. Where it is desired to lengthen or extend the strap, the plate N may be made to conform to the plate J in form anddimensions, and thereby adapted to furnish a pivotal support for an additional button-plate corresponding to the plate K. \Vhere, however, the plate N is to form the end of the hinged strap, as illustrated in the drawings, it is simply perforated with an aperture corresponding in form and dimensions with the apertures (J C, so as to register accurately therewith when superimposed thereon. A stop-plate, P, is secured upon the face of the bag immediately below the re-enforcing plate 0, Figs. 2 and 6, over which the plate N rests, so as to engage the lower edge of said plate N when its aperture is brought into register with the aperture in the re-enforcing plate 0, and thereby arrest its further downward movement, so as to facilitate this registry. The flap B is fitted with a hasp, R, in position to pass through the series of apertures in the strap-plate N, the inner re-enforcing plate, 0, the two thicknesses A A of the mouth of the bag, and the outer re-enforcing plate, G,when all are brought into registry, as shown in Fig. 6, and also through a corresponding aperture, D, Fig. 1, in the fold of the flap and in an outer re-enforcing plate, 0, secured thereto in position to register with the plate 0 when the flap is folded over the mouth of the bag, as shown in Fig. 6. After passing the hasp B through the strap-plate N and the several thicknesses of the closed bag, as shown in Fig. 6, it may be secured and the bag locked by means of a padlock, S, in the customary manner.

In opening the bag after removing the padlock the flap B is drawn off of the end of the 7c then turned upon the pivot L, so as to lift the plate N from the stop-plate P, (see Fig. 2,) and are moved until the arm K and the length of the button H attached thereto are brought into line at a right angle with the length of So the openings in the re-enforcing plates 0 C,

so as to permit the ready withdrawal of the button from said plates.' The arm E is next turned in like manner into position at a right angle to the length of the plate G and of the apertures in the thicknesses of the bag and in the plate 0, thereby bringing the button H into position to admit of its withdrawal through said apertures. The withdrawal of the buttons H H from the apertures through 0 the two folds of the mouth of the bag leaves it free to be opened. The rotating plate E remains attached to the plate 0 so that the strap is not wholly removed from the bag, but remains connected thereto, as shown in Fig. 3, in readiness to refasten it by the insertion of the buttons H H in succession through the appropriate openings or button-holes therefor, each button being made secure by turning it after it has been passed through the button-hole, the arm of the plate carrying the rotating button serving as a lever by which to effect its rotation.

It is evident that the form of the pivotal arms E E J J K K, &c., maybe varied, and that they may be uniform in width from end to end, instead of being enlargedat one end in the form of circular disks E, J, and K; also, that the buttons H H, whose stems are fixed to one of the arms, so as to turn therewith, may be L- shaped or formed with an offset on one side only, instead of T- shaped, or may be of an eccentric'form, or constructed with an eccentric groove therein to engage the plate on the opposite side of the bag which is to be secured thereby.

The manner of bringing the several arms or plates together also admits of variation without departing from my invention, which is applicable not only to bags or pouches, but to the securing of any two separate superimposed flaps or thicknesses of any description wherein a button secured to the one may be made to pass in or out of an aperture in the other.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, in a fastening device for a bag or pouch, with an extended arm or lever, E, carrying a T- headed stud or button, H, secured rigidly thereto, and a re-enforcing x30 or face plate, 0", encircling the stem of the button and adapted for attachment to one side of the mouth of the bag, so as to serve as a pivot for the button, of an extended plate, J J, hinged to said lever E to fold over thereon, a lever and plate, K K, pivoted to the outer end of the plate J J so as to turn freely thereon, and a T-headed stud or button, H, secured to the plate K, and whose shank forms an extension of its pivot-pin, so that it shall turn with said plate K, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, in a fastening device for a bag or pouch, with an extended arm or lever pivoted at one end to a supporting-plate, so as to turn freely in a plane parallel with the face of the plate and the side of the bag,and with a T-headed button whose stem constitutes an extension of the pivot upon which the lever turns and which is united to the lever to turn with it, of an arm hinged to the end of the lever, so as to fold over thereon, and provided with an extended slotat its outer end to register with counterpart slots in the sides of the bag and to receive a hasp which, passing through said slots, serves to unite the sides, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. As a fastening for a bag or pouch, a strap consisting of the end button-plate, E, and arm E, pivoted to a plate, 0 for attachment to the bag, one or more sets of intermediate button-plates, J and K, pivoted together face to face and extended in the form of arms J and K, adapted to be hinged, respectively, at their outer ends to the arm E of the first or end plate, E, and to the arms of the the next set of plates, an outer slotted haspplate, N, whose inner arm is hinged to the outer arm of the outer set of pivoted button-plates, and T-headed buttons H H, whose shanks are formed integrally with the pivots of the pivoted plates and are united to one of said plates to turn therewith, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. A fastening-strapfor locking the mouth of a bag or pouch, constructed of a series of plates pivoted in pairs to rotate one upon the other in parallel planes, and hinged to fold longitudinaily upon each other, the several pivots being secured to one of the plates in each pair to turn therewith and made integral with J AGOB FIOKINGER.

Witnesses:

G. S. BARTON, A. M, BARTON.

the shank of a T-headed button, a pivoted 

